IBC

2022 Rays Prospects (with BA Scouting Report)

1. C.J. Abrams - SS - Padres BA Grade: 65/High

Track Record: Abrams long stood out as one of the best and most athletic players for his age in high school and made a big impression when he took over center field for USA Baseball’s 18U National Team and made the position look easy despite never playing it before. He followed with a sensational senior spring, and the Padres were thrilled when he fell to them at the sixth overall pick in 2019. They lured him away from an Alabama commitment with a $5.2 million signing bonus, and by the end of that first pro summer, Abrams had won the Rookie-level Arizona League’s MVP award after batting .401 and earned a promotion to Low-A Fort Wayne. That assignment, however, was halted after just two games due to a shoulder injury. Abrams spent 2020 at the Padres’ alternate training site and made his full-season debut at Double-A San Antonio in 2021, where he got off to a hot start before fracturing his left tibia and spraining his left MCL in a collision with second baseman Eguy Rosario in late June, ending his season. Abrams recovered in time to get back on the field in instructional league but bruised his left shoulder while sliding into a base, an injury that prevented him from participating in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: When he is on the field, Abrams stands out for all the right reasons. He has a flat, fluid swing and elite hand-eye coordination—thanks in large part to the various contraptions his dad devised during his youth—that allow him to hit any type of pitch no matter where it’s located. He expanded the strike zone a bit much in his first stint at San Antonio, which is not all that surprising given that he was essentially jumping from rookie ball all the way to Double-A. At his best, he has a keen eye for the zone and takes borderline pitches like a seasoned veteran. Abrams’ frame is long and lean, but he’s no slap hitter. He makes loud contact off the barrel and can drive the ball out to all fields. It’s not out of the question for him to develop 20-home run power as he matures. Abrams’ 80-grade speed allows him to regularly beat out infield singles and will make him an elite base-stealing threat once he learns pitchers’ tendencies. Defensively, Abrams has plus range at shortstop. He doesn’t always show off his above-average arm, but he has a plus internal clock and tends to save his bullets for when they’re needed. He has gotten more reliable at making the routine plays and will make the occasional highlight-reel play. While it’s easy to compare Abrams to the last shortstop to rise quickly through the Padres’ system, the similarities are few. Where Fernando Tatis Jr. seems to play with his hair on fire, Abrams is a low-motor player whose actions often appear effortless. Tatis’ presence means Abrams is likely destined for a position change. He has the athleticism and aptitude to make the transition to second base or center field when the time comes.

The Future: For all his talent, Abrams has just 348 plate appearances in three seasons and needs at-bats. If he can stay healthy, he should become a dynamic table-setter in front of Tatis and Manny Machado in the Padres’ lineup.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 70. Power: 50. Run: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.

2. Nolan Gorman - 3B/2B - Cardinals BA Grade: 60/High

Track Record: The top prep power hitter in the 2018 draft class, Gorman spent the 2019 season at the Class A levels before impressing at 2020 spring training and spending the summer at the alternate training site, where he continued to stand out offensively. He made his upper minors debut in 2021 and put together his best year as a pro. Gorman led the Cardinals organization with 231 total bases and finished third with 25 home runs as he climbed from Double-A Springfield to Triple-A Memphis, and did it while lowering his strikeout rate the higher he climbed.

Scouting Report: Gorman transitioned from third base to second base after the Cardinals acquired Nolan Arenado from the Rockies before the season. He impressed the organization with his range and actions while continuing to work on improving his footwork turning double plays. He has plus arm strength and projects to be a fringe-average, but playable, defender at the keystone. Regardless of position, it’ll be Gorman’s bat that makes him an above-average everyday player. He has plus-plus raw power and can hit a home run out of any park. He destroys pitches down in the zone and consistently posts high exit velocities. Gorman is an aggressive hitter who doesn’t walk much and is prone to chasing, but he makes enough contact to regularly access his power.

The Future: Gorman is on track to be a middle-of-the order slugger who hits 30-35 home runs per year. He is in position to make his major league debut sometime during the 2022 season.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 70. Speed: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 60.

3. Zac Veen - OF - Rockies BA Grade: 65/High

Track Record: A talented player considered on the fringe of the first round entering his senior year, Veen became the biggest riser during the shortened 2020 season after getting stronger and was drafted ninth overall by the Rockies, who gave him a $5 million signing bonus to pass up a scholarship offer from Florida. Veen impressed in instructional league after signing and followed up with a sensational pro debut at Low-A Fresno in 2021. Despite a slow start that saw him go his first 120 at-bats without a homer, Veen hit .301 with 15 home runs, 75 RBIs, 36 stolen bases and a .900 OPS for the Grizzlies, becoming one of only four players in the minors to have at least 15 home runs and 35 stolen bases. He did that while impressing defensively both in left and right field and notching eight outfield assists in only 95 games.

Scouting Report: Veen is a true five-tool player and has the potential to be a longtime anchor in the Rockies outfield. He presently has an all-pull approach and can be a bit aggressive, but he consistently drives balls hard on a line, handles all types of pitches and rakes equally against both righties and lefties in a way that is rare for a young, lefthanded hitter. Veen still has some tinkering to do to shorten his swing and use the whole field, but he’s already shown he can make adjustments and has a chance to be a plus hitter. He has plus raw power and is increasingly learning to add leverage to his swing, helping him project as a potential 30-home run threat once he fills out his athletic, projectable frame. In addition to his immense hitting potential, Veen is a dynamic, aggressive baserunner with long strides that create sneaky speed and make him a stolen base threat. Though he has just average pure foot speed, his aggressiveness makes him an above-average runner. Veen’s long strides enable him to make rangy plays to both his right and left in the outfield. He gets good reads off the bat, takes clean routes and charges in on balls well to project as a potential plus defender in the corners. His arm is his weakest tool, but it’s still average and makes him playable in both right and left field. In addition to his physical skills, Veen plays extremely hard and has an above-average internal clock for his age.

The Future: Veen will likely get an invitation to major league spring training and start the 2022 season at High-A Spokane. On the low end, Veen projects to be an everyday big leaguer who reliably puts up 15 home runs and 10 steals per year while hitting for a high average. On the high end, if he makes the necessary adjustments to his approach, he could be a 30-30 threat and a perennial all-star.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.

4. Diego Cartaya - C - Dodgers BA Grade: 65/Very High

Track Record: Cartaya represented Venezuela at international tournaments from the time he was 10 years old and emerged early as the country’s top player in his class. He maintained that status through his teenage years and signed with the Dodgers for $2.5 million on the first day of the 2018-19 international signing period. Cartaya immediately impressed in the Rookie-level Arizona League in his pro debut and was the youngest player the Dodgers invited to their alternate training site in 2020, where he understandably struggled against older competition. A back muscle flareup delayed his full-season debut in 2021, but he reported to Low-A Rancho Cucamonga in late May and became an instant star. He hit 10 home runs in 31 games while showing uncommon poise and maturity defensively behind the plate before his season was cut short by injuries. He went on the injured list with a strained hamstring in July and re-injured his back in August while he was rehabbing. The Dodgers shut him down for the year.

Scouting Report: Though only 20 years old, Cartaya is a big, physical masher who is a force at the plate. He is an extraordinarily mature hitter who expertly manages the strike zone, recognizes pitches out of the hand and makes ear-ringing contact with controlled, powerful swings. His efficient swing and natural strength create booming, all-fields power with remarkable ease, and he stays through the big part of the field in his approach to hit towering drives from left-center to right-center. Cartaya turns around premium velocity, stays on breaking balls, covers the entire plate and rarely chases out of the strike zone, giving pitchers little recourse to avoid damage. He struggles at times with changeups and pitches fading down and away from him, but he still projects to be an above-average hitter with plus power, if not more. Cartaya is a good athlete who is impressively limber for his size behind the plate. He presents a good target for his pitchers, frames well at the bottom of the strike zone and controls the run game with his plus-plus arm strength. He still needs to improve his framing at the top of the strike zone and his game-calling, but he has all the tools to be a plus defender. He will have to watch his size to maintain his athleticism and mobility in blocking as he gets older. Unable to return home to Venezuela during the coronavirus pandemic, Cartaya lived with Dodgers Triple-A manager Travis Barbary in South Carolina during the 2020 shutdown and rapidly learned English. He is an exceptionally hard worker who expertly retains scouting report information and invests deeply in his relationships with pitchers. He is a natural-born leader who remains poised in adverse situations and is comfortable communicating in both English and Spanish.

The Future: Cartaya’s repeated back injuries are concerning, but if he can stay healthy, he has the talent to be a franchise catcher who hits in the middle of a lineup and contends for Gold Glove awards. He is expected to be ready for the start of spring training and will likely spend most of the 2022 season at High-A Great Lakes.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 60. Speed: 30. Fielding: 60. Arm: 70.

5. Jasson Dominguez - OF - Yankees BA Grade: 60/Extreme

Track Record: Some scouts labeled Dominguez as one of the best international prospects they had seen when he signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2019. The lost season in 2020 pushed his debut back further but only increased the anticipation. He started the year in the Florida Complex League before moving to Low-A Tampa, where he held his own as one of a handful of 18-year-olds in full-season ball. Despite his inexperience, Dominguez participated in the 2021 Futures Game.

Scouting Report: One of the first things evaluators note about Dominguez is the way his body has changed. He has thickened up considerably into a much stockier player, which leads to questions about whether he can stick in center field. He’s already slowed down and now earns grades closer to average than the double-plus times scouts once saw. If Dominguez moves to a corner, his average arm, which has also backed up, would play in right field. At the plate, Dominguez went through the expected growing pains of dealing with pitchers who were more experienced and knew how to attack him with spin. The quality of his at-bats and swing decisions got better as the season went on, culminating in a .777 OPS in September. Outside evaluators noted plenty of excellent impact on contact, and he produced average and maximum exit velocities of 86 and 111 mph during his time in Low-A.

The Future: Though he did not show the star-level performance that would be expected of a player with his hype, Dominguez certainly held his own, especially considering the long layoff after signing. There’s quite a bit of polish still to apply, but Dominguez still could reach a ceiling of MLB regular.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

6. Greg Jones - SS - Rays BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: The Rays collect shortstops like some fans collect bobbleheads. Tampa Bay’s reasoning is that shortstops who can hit can eventually find their way to almost anywhere around the diamond. Of all the Rays’ many minor league shortstops, Jones has the loudest tools. He’s shown flashes of being a power-speed threat who could be on a development path similar to Josh Lowe. Nagging injuries have slowed Jones’ development. His draft year a shoulder injury affected his throwing, a knee injury slowed him in 2020. And a quad injury kept him from going to the Arizona Fall League this year.

Scouting Report: There’s little Jones can’t do on a baseball field. He’s one of the Rays’ fastest runners, and he showed that plus-plus speed by swiping 34 bases in 36 tries. He also has plus raw power thanks to him having some of the best bat speed in the organization. His plus arm plays very well at shortstop—no Rays MiLB shortstop can make the highlight-level play better than Jones. While he makes the “can-you-believe-it" play, he’ll sometimes botch the routine one. His hands need to get a little softer. While he has speed and power, he’s prone to chasing pitches and doesn’t work counts all that well. His level swing isn’t necessarily geared for hitting home runs, but he hits the ball hard consistently enough to get to 15-20 of them per season..

The Future: Jones has the highest ceiling of the Rays many shortstop prospects thanks to his speed and developing power. He always has a fallback option of developing into a rangy center fielder. Jones is ticketed to return to Double-A Montgomery in 2022.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.

7. Curtis Mead - 3B/1B - Rays BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Growing up in Australia, Mead seemed destined to be an Australian rules football player. Mead’s father Tim had played in the Australian Baseball League, but according to Australia’s ABC News, Tim believed Curtis had a more promising football career ahead of him. The younger Mead decided to focus on baseball and quickly earned a spot on the Australian junior national team. He signed with the Phillies, but was quickly traded to the Rays for lefthander Cristopher Sanchez after the 2019 season. In 2021, Mead made a brief appearance in Triple-A while leading the minors with 38 doubles.

Scouting Report: Mead has the best combination of power, bat-to-ball skills and hitting ability among Rays minor leaguers. He manages to combine some of the best average exit velocities in the Rays system (90 mph average) with the kind of contact-heavy approach (15.5% strikeout percentage) the organization covets. His level swing produces more line drives than lofted home runs, but he regularly drills balls into the gaps. Mead hasn’t found a full-time defensive home. He has fringe-average range at third base and playable hands, but his throwing action is long and unorthodox and he can’t rifle a throw without getting his feet set. Most likely he will slide to first base more regularly as he moves up, but he’s athletic enough to be a plausible left fielder. He’s a below-average runner who likely will further slow down.

The Future: Mead will only be 21 for the entirety of the 2022 season that should see him start the year at Double-A Montgomery. He could be ready for Tampa Bay by the end of 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 40.

8. Alec Burleson - RF - Cardinals BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Burleson excelled as a two-way player throughout his college career at East Carolina, including earning a selection to the USA Baseball Collegiate National team, and was drafted by the Cardinals in the supplemental second round in 2020. He made his pro debut in 2021 and rose three levels from High-A to Triple-A, hitting a combined .270/.329/.454 with 22 home runs in 119 games.

Scouting Report: Previously known as a contact-oriented hitter who rarely struck out, Burleson began taking bigger swings and increased his power production in his pro debut. He shows a propensity for barreling the ball and making hard contact in games, although the added power has come with more strikeouts as he’s started expanding the zone. Burleson’s bat path is still relatively flat, but he has a chance to add more loft to his swing and hit for even more power in the future. He should even out as an average hitter with average power. Burleson at times plays average defense in left and right field, but his arm is fringy despite his two-way background and he needs to be more consistent. He can also play first base, where he shows good footwork and actions.

The Future: Burleson should start the 2022 season back at Triple-A. His major league debut won’t be far off if he continues to swing the bat well.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 45.


9. Jesse Franklin - OF - Braves BA Grade: 45/Medium

Track Record: After two solid seasons at Michigan that included a 2019 trip to the College World Series, Franklin didn’t get to play as a junior in 2020 thanks to a broken collarbone. The Braves still drafted him in the third round and he paid off that faith with an excellent 2021 debut.

Scouting Report: Franklin started the season slow, hitting just .200/.228/.253 in 19 games during May at High-A Rome. The Braves got him a bit more upright and let him adopt a more power and pull-oriented approach, which yielded a .256/.343/.593 line with 24 home runs and 20 doubles from June through the end of the season. Franklin had shown a professional, contact-oriented, all-fields approach in the past, but Atlanta wanted to let him cut loose and see how hard he could drive the ball this year. Turns out he can drive the ball quite far, and is now the best power hitting prospect in the system, with 65-grade raw power. That power-oriented approach resulted in more chases and a 28.3% strikeout rate, but Franklin also posted the 13th-best isolated slugging among qualified minor leaguers 22 or younger and led the Braves system in homers. Franklin is an instinctual defender who can fill in as a center fielder if necessary thanks to an impressive first step and route running, but his pure speed and arm strength make him a better fit for left. Despite being an average or a tick better runner, he steals bases with efficiency (19-for-23, 82.6%).

The Future: The Braves want to see Franklin continue showing this sort of power, while improving his contact and walk rates at the next level. His best case scenario is as an everyday left fielder, but his most likely future role is a lefty-hitting platoon power bat.

Tool Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 45

10. Miguel Amaya - C - Cubs

11. Bryce Jarvis - SP - Dbacks

12. Alex Santos - SP - Astros

13. Antonio Gomez - C - Yankees

14. Nelson Velazquez - OF - Cubs

15. Willy Vasquez - SS - Rays BA Grade: 55/Extreme

Track Record: When Vasquez signed with the Rays in 2019, he was expected to be a third baseman in a Rays international class full of shortstops—the official MLB stats portal incorrectly lists him as a catcher. Two years later, Vasquez is proving to be the most polished shortstop of that signing class. He’s gotten bigger and stronger without losing any agility. After an excellent pro debut in the Florida Complex League, he was promoted to Low-A Charleston for the playoffs and helped the RiverDogs win their league title by ripping a bases-clearing three-run triple in the deciding game.

Scouting Report: In 2014, the Rays acquired another Willy (Adames) in a trade with the Tigers. At the time, Adames was seen by many as someone who would outgrow shortstop, but he kept working on his agility to ensure he could remain at the position. Vasquez has a similar battle to fight, as he could outgrow shortstop, but he shows the body control, range and hands to stick there if he continues to make defensive development a focus. At the plate, Vasquez has the building blocks to be an above-average offensive player. He has above-average bat speed and has shown the ability already to drive a ball at 110-111 mph exit velocities at his best. Vasquez shows a solid understanding of the game at a young age and has developed into a team leader.

The Future: The Rays have a slew of shortstop prospects in the lower levels of the minors, but Vasquez has one of the best combinations of offensive and defensive impact potential. He should be ready for Low-A in 2022, having gotten a brief glimpse of what it’s like to play in front of crowds to wrap up 2021.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.

From FG Rays top 59 list

3. Curtis Mead, LF
Signed: July 2nd Period, 2017 from Australia (PHI)
Age 21.4 Height 6′ 2″ Weight 180 Bat / Thr R / R FV 50
Tool Grades (Present/Future)
Hit Raw Power Game Power Run Fielding Throw
35/60 50/55 30/50 45/40 20/40 50
Mead was acquired from the Phillies as a Complex League sleeper in a 2019 roster crunch deal, and he’s yet another reminder to teams that when the Rays show interest in a yet-to-be-heralded player, the club on the other end of the phone should be leery about trading him. The pandemic delayed Mead’s Rays debut until 2021, but he quickly made up for lost time by putting up a .321/.378/.533 line over 104 games. His swing remains unorthodox, starting with very high hands and a considerable amount of pre-swing noise, but both Mead and the Rays have worked hard to quiet his lower half, and while the overall operation is still not what anyone would teach in a hitting class, it certainly works for him. Mead has plenty of strength, but he’s more of a hitter with power than a power hitter, showing a consistent ability to make hard contact to all fields regardless of pitch type or handedness. He’s seen as a bit of a bat-first prospect, for while he entered pro ball as a middle infielder, he’s already slid to the corners, and many think first base is where he will ultimately end up, as his arm strength is lacking at the hot corner. Mead’s combination of contact and strength provides little to criticize, and he has a chance to reach the big leagues quickly.

5. Greg Jones, CF
Drafted: 1st Round, 2019 from UNC Wilmington (TBR)
Age 24.0 Height 5′ 11″ Weight 175 Bat / Thr S / R FV 50
Tool Grades (Present/Future)
Hit Raw Power Game Power Run Fielding Throw
30/45 50/55 30/50 70/70 40/45 55
Many saw Jones as having the best tools in the 2019 draft class, but concerns about his contact rate and defense dropped him to the bottom half of the first round. His impressive full-season debut was hampered by a pair of quad strains, and he remains a player with outstanding tools and, well, concerns about his contact rate and defense. While it’s easy to talk about round numbers like 30/30, Jones is best described as having 20 home run, 50 stolen base potential. He’s an elite runner in terms of speed, but he’s also an excellent baserunner who looks to swipe bases and has done so at an 84% success rate so far as a pro. He has impressive bat speed and strength, but has trouble making contact from both sides of the plate and has much more power from the right side. His phenomenal twitch and plus arm makes for some highlight reel plays at shortstop, but his footwork and hands remain lacking, leaving him error prone, with many scouts believing he’d be better of in center field, where he could be a plus or better defender. He’s one of the most exciting players in the minor leagues, but the significant flaws in his game keep him at a 50 FV.

13. Willy Vasquez, CF
Signed: July 2nd Period, 2019 from Dominican Republic (TBR)
Age 20.5 Height 6′ 0″ Weight 195 Bat / Thr R / R FV 45
Tool Grades (Present/Future)
Hit Raw Power Game Power Run Fielding Throw
35/60 55/60 30/45 55/50 40/50 60
Vasquez was a 2021 revelation on the complex, slashing .288/.382/.411 while seeing time at shortstop, third base, and a little bit of center field. He is extremely muscular for his age, and is somewhat stiff, but also very explosive. Possessing advanced natural feel for contact, Vasquez’s swing might need a tweak if he’s going to get to more in-game power (he had among the highest max exit velos in this system) but if he keeps hitting like this it may not be worth risking changing him. With this sort of size and physicality at this age, Vasquez is not a consensus long-term shortstop and tends to generate either third base or mostly speculative center field projections (this is our inclination based on the stiffness in Vasquez’s lower half) from scouts. Several people raved about this young man’s drive and makeup during sourcing, which hasn’t impacted his placement as much as it has solidified confidence in it. There is big potential ceiling here.

29. Tanner Murray, 2B
Drafted: 4th Round, 2020 from UC Davis (TBR)
Age 22.6 Height 6′ 2″ Weight 190 Bat / Thr R / R FV 40
Tool Grades (Present/Future)
Hit Raw Power Game Power Run Fielding Throw
35/60 30/40 30/40 45/40 30/40 40
Murray slugged .555 in 2021, and while visual assessment of his power and his underlying TrackMan data suggest he doesn’t have anything near that kind of power, he does have preternatural feel for contact. A 2020 fourth rounder, Murray was very young for a college draftee, he had a foundation of bat-to-ball skills and a pretty projectable frame. Murray tracks pitches with laser-guided precision and finds a way to put the barrel on them, spraying and hooking contact to all fields. Murray currently projects to settle into an above-replacement utility infield role but if he grows into more power, which is feasible given his age and broad-shouldered frame, then there may be more ceiling than that.

5. Nolan Gorman, 2B, Cardinals
Team: Triple-A Memphis (International)
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .351/.415/.838 (13-for-37), 10 R, 6 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 15 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: Memphis traveled to one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the minors last week and Gorman took advantage in a big way. The hulking slugger homered in four straight games at Charlotte, all of them solo shots. That capped off a banner week that also included a two-homer game against Gwinnett and gave Gorman the early-season minor league home run lead. (KG)


10. Kahlil Watson, SS, Marlins
Team: Low-A Jupiter (Florida State)
Age: 19

Why He’s Here: .333/.394/.867 (10-for-30), 9 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 12 RBIs, 3 BB, 15 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Watson was the Marlins’ first-rounder in 2021, and he’s begun his first full test as a pro with a bang. Rather, a series of bangs. The North Carolina prep product has used his prodigious bat speed to club four home runs in his first week and change in full-season ball. That total ties him with Hot Sheet-mate Emmanuel Rodriguez for the league lead. He’s struck out a fair amount, lending credence to his need for an improved approach with two strikes. There’s plenty of time to improve, though, and the early results are very encouraging. (JN)

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-41922/

Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs: A four-hit day is rare. Getting four hits and homering is even better. Velazquez hit two home runs and doubled twice, giving him 12 total bases the most he's ever had in a pro game.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -walk-off/

Alex Santos II, RHP, Houston Astros (Low-A Fayetteville): 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K.

Second straight solid outing for Santos after a clunker in which he gave up six earned runs in just 1.2 innings to open the season. With just 50 professional innings under his belt he’s going to continue to need more reps but it looks like the stuff is trending in the right direction.

Nolan Gorman, 2B, Cardinals: Gorman hit his eight home run of the young season on Sunday, moving him into a tie for second place in the minors behind fellow Cardinals' prospect Moises Gomez's nine.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... blue-jays/

8. Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs
Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .455/.520/1.227 (10-for-22), 5 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After a whiff-filled opening week where Velazquez struck out 18 times he rebounded in a big way in week two. The outfielder connected for eight extra-base hits, including four home runs while only striking out four times across 25 plate appearances. A standout in the Arizona Fall League in 2021, Velasquez has the bat speed and raw strength to hit for power at the highest levels. He has now hit 13 balls 100-plus mph in 2022 including two home runs on Wednesday that were a reported 108 and 112 mph off the bat. (GP)

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-42622/

OF: Nelson Velazquez, Tennessee Smokies (Double-A)
Cubs No. 16
.455/.520/1.227, 6 G, 10-for-22, 4 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 9 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 4 K

Coming off a breakout 2021 campaign in which he led the Cubs system in total bases, RBIs and slugging percentage, Velazquez is proving it wasn’t a fluke. Now riding a seven-game hitting streak for Tennessee, Velazquez ripped off hits in each of his six contests against Rocket City, with six knocks coming in his first two games of the series. The outfielder’s April 20 performance featured a 4-for-4 line with two homers, two doubles, five RBIs, three runs scored and a walk. Velazquez is back at Double-A this season after finishing last year there, posting a slash line of .290/.358/.581 in 34 contests with the Smokies. Like Amaya, Velazquez captured a 40-man roster spot last offseason after starring in the AFL, where he was named Most Valuable Player after leading the showcase circuit with nine homers and a 1.191 OPS.

https://www.mlb.com/news/prospect-team- ... il-25-2022

(2) Nolan Gorman, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals; Previous (NR)

After a brutally disappointing three-game stretch last week where Gorman hit zero home runs, I’m sure the Cardinals were contemplating an outright release from the organization. Luckily, he went deep again on Monday, so all’s right with the world. (You know, in this very small, specific instance, at least.) That dinger gave Gorman eight on the season, and at least one round tripper in eight of his last 12 contests heading into Tuesday’s matinee in Durham. He’s still striking out a little too much, which (with a lackluster walk rate) could hamper his ability to be special at the next level. But the power is real, and with most of the Cardinals outfield off to slow starts, it’s not hard to imagine Tommy Edman shuffling around the lineup to make room for Gorman’s thunderstick sometime soon.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/fant ... st-week-3/

Nolan Gorman, 2B Cardinals - It’s been a loud couple of weeks for Gorman with Memphis, and the 21-year-old infielder connected for his ninth and 10th home runs of the season on Wednesday. This capped off a 4-for-5 night for Gorman as he drove in four runs and crossed the plate three times. The 2018 first-rounder is now hitting .348/.397/.833 through 17 games in 2022, and looks ready to contribute in St. Louis.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... in-durham/

Curtis Mead, 3B, Rays - Few players combine power and contact in the manner that Mead does, and the 21-year-old Aussie continues to prove that at the Double-A level. On Thursday, Mead went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and a walk as he enters Friday hitting .309/.409/.618 through 15 games. Acquired in November of 2019 from the Phillies, Mead is already proving to be another excellent acquisition by Tampa.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... stays-hot/

Yanquiel Fernandez, OF Rockies - It was a big night at the plate for the Fresno lineup and Fernandez was the catalyst as he went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and drove in three runs. Signed out of Cuba in 2019, Fernandez is making his stateside debut after hitting .333/.406/.531 in the Dominican Summer League in 2021.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... t-a-dozen/

Saturday, April 30th
Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers (Low-A Rancho Cucamonga): 4-4, 2B, 2 HR, BB.
An abundance of thump was the calling card for Cartaya in 2021 as he lit up the California nights, but back issues cut his breakout campaign in half. He’s looked rusty at times early, but Saturday night was a healthy power play.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news ... all-perez/

Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies (High-A Spokane)
The ninth-overall selection of the 2020 draft is beginning to find his rhythm in Spokane. The Rockies top prospect was off to a rough start to begin his second full year of pro ball: in his first eight games the 20-year-old hit .138, going 4-for-29 with 13 strikeouts. Veen has since found a groove, hitting .375 in his last 13 games, while cutting his strikeout rate down from 44% to 29%.

Even with the earlier struggles, Veen has been fun to watch this year. Listed at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Veen is a lean, big-swinging lefty with average or better tools across the board, highlighted by plus power potential and an aggressiveness that allows his average speed to play up defensively and on the base paths—Veen leads his league with 10 stolen bases. There are a lot of moving parts in the lefty’s approach at the plate—using every bit of his long frame, while staying reasonably vertical up top, Veen sits on his back leg, uses a high leg kick and explodes with his hands, at times coming completely uncorked and disrupting his balance just enough to pull his bat off plane. In my viewings, most of Veen’s success at the plate has come when he’s able to get his front foot down on time and stay balanced with his lower half through the point of contact. Staying balanced has allowed him to sharply barrel balls to all fields.

Additionally, while the power numbers have yet to turn up in High-A—with just one home run in his first 21 games—I expect his pole-to-pole plus raw power to present itself very soon, just as in Low-A last season, where Veen hit 14 of his 15 home runs after the month of June. And, with the addition of some good muscle and physical maturity, Veen profiles nicely as a potential 25-30 homerun corner outfielder with a plus throwing arm at the major league level. Furthermore, considering the lack of prospect depth within the Rockies organization, Veen may get a shot to realize that potential as soon as 2023. —Kevin Johnson

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... en-pack-2/

The Call-Up: Nolan Gorman
Jeffrey Paternostro and Howard Megdal
May 20, 2022


The Situation: Often times in this section I recount an injury that has opened playing time for a top prospect. And technically that is true here as well. Tyler O’Neill hits the IL with a shoulder impingement. That still requires some defensive shuffling to open a spot at second base for Nolan Gorman, but the Cardinals always have superutility types that can move around. Oh yeah, and Gorman is hitting .308/.367/.677 in Triple-A. Sometimes the player makes the decision easier for you.

Background: Pegged as a potential top ten pick in the 2018 draft class going into his senior year of high school in Phoenix, Gorman slid to the Cardinals at the 19th pick after an inconsistent spring, where he was signed by former BP Prospect Teamer Mauricio Rubio. He didn’t carry his struggles into the summer however, mashing in the Appy League and earning a late season promotion to full-season ball as an 18-year-old. The prodigious power potential and early pro success slid him right into the top 50, landing at no. 34 on the 2019 Top 101. The next season was split between both A-ball levels. There were plenty of batting practice shows, a solid amount of in-game power given his age, park, and level, but pesky questions about the long term future of the hit tool. Nevertheless he moved up 10 spots or so, mostly on list attrition or graduations ahead of him, and he’s hung around the top 30 prospects in baseball since.

After the lost pandemic season, the Cardinals acquired Nolan Arenado, necessitating a new defensive home for Gorman. He slid over to second base for 2021, and while there was a bit of a learning curve in the field, he didn’t carry over any defensive mishaps to the plate, where he socked 25 home runs between Double and Triple-A. He’s laid waste to the re-christened International League so far in 2022, and while the strikeout rate remains higher than you like, when you have these kinds of results on contact, you might want to just keep swinging.

Scouting Report: Gorman has at least plus-plus raw power, and more of it has made it into games year-over-year in the minors. There’s some length and lift in the swing, but mostly he’s just really bleepin’ strong. Even when he shortens up with two strikes he can hit the ball hard. When he hits it, mind you. Swing-and-miss is an issue, and he’s going to have to grind out enough walks and sock enough big flys to make up for the 30% of the time he will stride right back to the dugout. The approach has always been solid though, and he does enough damage when he does barrel one to project something in the neighborhood of an average hit tool, and perhaps some .260/.350/.520 lines at his peak. That’s really nice in the middle infield, although Gorman remains a work in progress at the keystone. He’s never gonna be rangy—he’s a fringe runner now and will continue to slow down in his mid-20s—but he’s looked fine on the turn, and his third baseman’s arm strength will allow for some creative positioning options. Still, you are hoping for a gentleman’s 40 with the second base glove.

Immediate Big-League Future: The immediate future is very much in Gorman’s hands. The Cardinals can make room for him as an everyday second baseman given their roster’s flexibility—although an Edman/Gorman double play tandem isn’t ideal defensively—if he plays his part at the plate. He was striking out more than a third of the time in Memphis however, so there’s a chance his first pass at major league pitching sees him as more wind farm than world destroyer. And the Cardinals have the depth that they don’t need to hang with him if he struggles for a while. However, in a league where the current crop of baseballs are keeping slugging under .400, Gorman is one bat that can hit this baseball, or a beach ball, or a bowling ball out of any park. —Jeffrey Paternostro



Fantasy Impact: I have this friend, and he asked me about drafting Tommy Edman before the season. I told him I had my doubts, because the Cardinals never do anything without a plan, and the obvious plan from the moment they acquired Nolan Arenado was to see if Nolan Gorman could be their second baseman of the future.

Fortunately for my friend, the combination of Paul DeJong’s implosion and Edmundo Sosa’s slow start mean that Edman can slide to shortstop easily. Regardless, though, I thought we’d see Gorman pretty early this season, and that the moment he arrived, he’d play regularly at second base. The early production could well be Patrick Wisdom-esque, considering his K% was north of 30 at Triple-A, but if you haven’t learned yet to trust a Cardinals prospect when he gets promoted, well, I don’t know that there’s anything I can do for you. —Howard Megdal

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... als-debut/

5. Alec Burleson, OF, Cardinals
Team: Triple-A Memphis (International)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .539/.539/1.039 (14-for-26), 6 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: The Cardinals have already gotten an offensive boost this season from recent callups Juan Yepez, Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman. Burleson is ready and waiting next in line. The burly outfielder continued his excellent season with five multi-hit efforts in six games for Memphis last week, including three consecutive three-hit games to close out the series at Gwinnett. He hit three homers in the first five games and capped the series by going 3-for-5 with three doubles in the finale. With the ability to hit for contact and power, surprising athleticism for his frame and strong defense in the corner outfield, Burleson is merely waiting for the opportunity to show he belongs in the majors. (KG)

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... week-52422

Colin Barber, OF, Houston Astros (High-A Ashville): 3-3, R, HR, 3 RBI.
Barber has been the Sally League’s hottest hitter of late, slashing .407/.493/.525 across May. Injuries have slowed his development, but he’s healthy now and he’s showing flashes of the talent that convinced the Astros to go over-slot to nab him in 2019.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ell-crisp/

Nolan Gorman, 2B, Cardinals – When it comes to first impressions, it’s hard to outdo what Gorman has done in his first 10 games as a major leaguer. The Cardinals No. 2 prospect continued his red-hot start to his big league career by going 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Cardinals to a 6-3 win over the Padres. Gorman’s two-run shot off Nick Martinez left his bat at 105.7 mph and traveled 403 feet over the Cardinals bullpen into the right-field bleachers. His first-inning single was smoked, too—that one left his bat at 105.4 mph. Overall, Gorman is batting .387 with a 1.149 OPS in 10 games since getting the call on May 20.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... cardinals/

Burleson caps three-hit game with walk-off homer (May 26)
Alec Burleson saved his best for last. Already with a multihit effort and two RBIs under his belt, the No. 10 St. Louis prospect sent Triple-A Memphis home a winner with a walk-off, two-run homer in the 10th inning of a 7-5 win over Iowa. Burleson's 10th long ball was his fourth in his last eight games.

The 23-year-old had gone 14 games without leaving the yard prior to his power surge. He added a two-run double in the fifth inning that knotted the score, 3-3.

Despite going hitless in nine at-bats in his previous two games, Burleson has been one of the Minors' hottest hitters in May. His three-hit performance improved his slash line this month to .338/.369/.588 in 20 games. Overall, the 70th overall selection in the 2020 Draft is hitting .313 with a .947 OPS, 20 extra-base hits and 34 RBIs in 38 contests. -- Michael Avallone

https://www.mlb.com/news/st-louis-cardi ... e-coverage

CJ Abrams, SS, Padres: The Padres have started to have Abrams play a little bit of center field in addition to playing second base and shortstop. But he still plays shortstop primarily, and yesterday he did this:

https://twitter.com/RyanDWeathers25/sta ... 4cxeW6oDVQ

Alec Burleson, LF, Cardinals: Burleson is the International League's batting leader at .341. Nights like yesterday, where he went 4-for-6 with a home run, will help him keep that lead.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... s-hitters/

1. Colin Barber, OF, Astros
Team: High-A Asheville (South Atlantic)
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .524/.583/1.286 (11-for-21), 8 R, 1 2B, 5 HR, 9 RBIs, 3 BB, 1 SO, 0 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: After a lost 2021 season where Barber was limited to 16 games due to a shoulder injury that required surgery, he’s once again healthy in 2022 and enjoying a breakout season with Asheville. Entering the week, Barber had just one home run on the season, but he caught fire against Hickory pitching, slugging five home runs on the week. His performance in Sunday’s matinee put the exclamation point on the stretch as he went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs batted in and nine total bases. It’s a great sign that the former fourth-round pick is back to full health for the first time since his professional debut in 2019. (GP)

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... week-6722/

Nelson Velázquez, OF, Chicago Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K.
Back from his brief, two-game cup of coffee in Chicago, the power is continuing to play for Velázquez. He’s collected 15 round trippers already this year, including three in his last two games. With another deadline sale looming, it’s likely he gets an extended tryout in the Cubs’ lineup later this summer.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... g-hitters/

Curtis Mead, 2B, Rays: Mead homered twice on Sunday for Double-A Montgomery. He also homered on Saturday. His recent hot streak has raised his slash line to .305/.395/.561. It’s also notable that Mead has been playing second base regularly, adding some position versatility for the first/third baseman.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... his-power/

1. Curtis Mead, 3B, Rays
Team: Double-A Montgomery (Southern)
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .421/.450/1.158 (8-for-19), 4 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: One of the purest hitters in the minor leagues performed like … one of the purest hitters in the minor leagues. Mead, whom the Rays acquired from the Phillies in 2019, has hit at every level, including a whirlwind tour of the minor leagues in 2021. After a middling May, Mead has put together a molten June. In 16 games this month, the Australian is hitting .344/.414/.705 with six home runs, two more than he hit in all of April and May combined. (JN)

17. Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers
Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
Age: 20

Why He’s Here: .421/.542/.632 (8-for-19), 5 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: The game is rich in catching talent, and Cartaya is firmly in the upper echelon of that group. He was promoted to High-A earlier this month and hasn’t missed a beat at his new level. Since transforming from a Quake to a Loon, Cartaya has gone 16-for-48 with seven doubles and two home runs, furthering the thought that he’s among the best pure offensive prospects in the game. If he can refine his defense, he’ll take a place among the truly elite overall. (JN)

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-62122/

Yankees: Jasson Dominguez, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 52)
One of the most hyped international prospects ever, Dominguez is enjoying the most torrid stretch of his young career. Signed for $5.1 million out of the Dominican Republic amid comparisons to Bo Jackson, Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout, he has hit .291/.446/.512 with four homers in his last 26 games. He's batting .259/.361/.435 with seven homers and 13 steals in 57 Single-A games at age 19, and he tops the Florida State League in runs (42) and doubles (15).

Rays: Curtis Mead, 3B/2B/1B (No. 4/MLB No. 90)
Tampa Bay officials always suggested that more power was coming from Mead following his breakout 2021 season, and that has certainly been true in June. Mead is slugging .705 over 70 plate appearances this month for Double-A Montgomery, and he’s more than doubled his 2022 homer output with six homers in the last three weeks alone. Mead’s season slash line has jumped from a solid .286/.387/.492 at the start of the month to an even more robust .305/.396/.562 now, solidifying the 21-year-old infielder’s place as a Top 100 talent.

Astros: Colin Barber, OF (No. 5)
The Astros invested a 2019 fourth-round choice and a $1 million bonus in Barber because they liked his combination of power and speed, but the pandemic and labrum surgery on his non-throwing shoulder limited his availability before this season. He's making up for lost time by hitting .382/.482/.721 with six homers in his last 20 games to boost his overall line in High-A to .318/.429/.513 with seven roundtrippers and four steals in 45 contests.

Cardinals: Alec Burleson, OF (No. 9)
Nolan Gorman, Juan Yepez and Brendan Donovan all began the season with Burleson in Triple-A Memphis and have become solid contributors for St. Louis. Burleson might not be too far behind them, given his recent performance. The 23-year-old outfielder is batting .374/.402/.578 with five homers and two doubles over his last 20 games in the International League. What’s more, he’s fanned only 10 times over 92 plate appearances in that span for a 10.9 percent K rate. That's a lot of contact -- and a lot of good contact -- for the 70th overall pick in the 2020 Draft.

Dodgers: Diego Cartaya, C (No. 1/MLB No. 24)
MLB Pipeline's top-rated player in the 2018 international crop, Cartaya signed for $2.5 million out of Venezuela and has pounded pro pitchers ever since. He has batted .304/.478/.580 with thee homers in his last 20 games between Single-A and High-A, and is hitting .279/.422/.564 overall with 11 blasts in 46 contests.

https://www.mlb.com/news/hottest-hittin ... e-coverage

This month has been the Curtis Mead show!

Curtis Mead, 3B Rays: A game time temperature of 100 degrees couldn’t slow down Mead, as he went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. Two of his three hits came off of starter Jared Shuster, as Mead continues to hit against quality competition. At just 21 years old in Double-A, Mead is hitting .308/.397/.554 with 10 home runs.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -cyclones/

Diego Cartaya, C, Los Angeles Dodgers (High-A Great Lakes)
After getting my second series look at the Great Lakes squad, I went back and read Trevor Anderson’s Eyewitness Account on Cartaya during his time last year in the Cal League. Most of what Trevor had observed was spot on: the raw pop, the advanced approach, the strong throwing arm. It was also noted that the glove was a work in progress, with below-average mobility and stiff hands. However, what I saw was a young player who had made considerable defensive improvements in the offseason. Surprisingly athletic, he moves well behind the dish, showing enough lateral quickness to block balls in the dirt and lightning-quick transfers when runners attempt to steal. It’s easy to pigeonhole him as a future first-baseman due to his size, but the physical tools are there to handle the rigors of catching for the foreseeable future.

Offensively, the power is real, generated by a quick bat and physical strength. It’s double plus and can get over the fence to any part of the field. He does a good job, especially as a young player, of getting the pop to play in-game. The pitch recognition is above-average, and he does a solid job of not expanding the zone. Currently, the strikeout rate is a bit elevated in High-A, but can be chalked up to adjusting to a new league. He’s still young and a long way from major league ready, but it’s not hard to envision a future all-star backstop if Cartaya continues to develop. —Nathan Graham

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... backstops/